Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1887-10-15


splendid horses we bestrode had got their
wind by this, and were sweeping along with
wide, steady stride that neither failed nor
varied for mile upon mile. Down the sides
of slopes we galloped. across wide wales that
stretched 20 the foot Of far Off hills Nearer
and nearer grew the blue hills; now we were
travekng up their sleeps, and now we were
over and passing toward others that sprang
up like visions in the far, faint distance be
You'd.
We spake not, but bent us forward ON the
necks of those two glorious horses, and
listened TO their deep, long drawn breaths a.
they filed their great lungs, and to the
regular, unfaltering ring OF their round
hoofs. Grim and black, indeed, did old
Umslopogaas look beside me, mounted upon
the great white horse, like death in the reve-
lation of St John, as now and again lifting
his fierce set face he gazed out along the road,
and pointed with his ak toward some distant
rise or house.
And so on, still on, without break or pause,
for hour after hour.
At last began to feel that even the splen.
did animal that rode was beginning to give
out / looked at my watch; it was nearly
midnight, and we were considerably more
than half way. On the top of rise was
little spring, which | remembered because
had slept by it a few nights before, and here
/ motioned to Umslopogaas to pull up having
determined to give the horses and ourselves
ten minutes to breathe in. He did SO, and we
dismounted-that is to say, Umslopogaas did,
and then helped me off, for what with fatigue,
stiffness, and the pain Of my wound, l could
not do so for myself and the gallant horses
stood painting there, resting first one leg and
then another, while the sweat fell drip, drip,
from them, and the steam rose and hung in
pale clouds in the still night air.
Leaving Umslopogaas to hold the horses, I
hobbled to the spring and drank deep of its
sweet waters l had had nothing but single
mouthful OF wine since midday, when the
battle began, and was parched up, though
my fatigue was too great to allow me to feel
hungry. Then, having laved my fevered
head and hands, / returned, and the Zulu
went and drank. Next we allowed the horses
to take couple of mouthfuls each--no more;
and oh, what struggle we had to get the
poor beasts away from the water! There
were yet two minutes, and l employed it in
hobDling up and down to try and relieve my
stiffness, and in inspecting the condition of
the horses Ny mare, gallant animal though
she was, was evidently much distressed; she
hung her head and her eye looked sick and
dull; but Daylight, Nyleptha's glorious horse
who if he is served Alright, should, like the
Seeds who saved the great Rameses in his
seed, feed for the rest Of his days out of q
golden manger-was still, comparatively
speaking, perfectly fresh, notwithstanding
that he had had by far the heavier weight to
carry. He was sucked up" indeed, and his
legs were weary, but his eye was bright and
clear, and he held his shapely head up and
gazed out into the darkness round him in a
way that seemed to say that, whoever failed,
he was good for those five and forty miles
that yet lay between us and Milosis Then
Umslopogaas helped me into the saddle and
vigorous old savage that he wasl-vaulted
into bis own without touching a stirrup, and
we were off once more, slowly at first, till the
horses got into their stride, and then more
swiftly. So we passed over another ten
miles, and then came long, weary rise of
some six or seven miles, and three times did
my poor black mare nearly come to tho
ground with me. But on the top she seemed
to gather herself together, and ratified down
the slope with long, convulsive strides,
breathing in gasps We did that three or
four miles more swiftly than any since we
had started on our wild ride, bus felt it to
be last effort, and was right. Suddenly
my poor horse took the bit between her teeth
and bolted curiously along stretch of level
ground for some 800 or 400 yards, and then,
with two or three jerky strides, pulled her
self up and fell with a crash right on to her
head, rolling myself free as she did SO. As
l struggled on to my feet the brave beast
raised her head and looked at me with piteous
bloodshot eyes. and then her head dropped
IL el,s
was broken.
Umslopogaas pulled up beside the carcass,
and looked at him in dismay. There were
still more than twenty miles to do by dawn,
and how were we to do it with one horsel 1t
seemed hopeless, but had forgotten the old
Zulu's extraordinary running powers
Without single word he sprang from the
saddle and began to hoist me into it,
"What wilt thou dos" asked.
"Run," he answered, sezing my stirrup
leather
Then off we went again, almost as fast as
before; and. oh, the relief it was TO me to get
that change of horsesl Anybody who has
ever ridden against time will know what ii
meant.
Daylight sped along at a long stretching
hand gallop, giving the gaunt Zulu lift at
every stride 1t was wonderful thing to
see old Umslopogaas run mile after mile, his
lips slightly parted and his nostrils agape like
the horses. Every five miles or SO we stopped
for few minutes to let him get his breath,
and then flew on again.
"Caust thou go farther" l said at the third
of these stoppages, "or shall leave thee to
follow meg"
He pointed with his ak to q dim mass be-
fore us 1t was the Temple of the Sun, now
not more than five miles away.
~ reach it or / die" he gasped
Oh that last five miesl The skin was
rubbed from the inside of my legs, and every
movement Of my horse gave me anguish.
Nor was that all. was exhausted with toll,
want of food and sleep, and also suffering
very much from the blow l had received
on my left side; it seemed as though II piece
of bone or something was slowly piercing
into my lung. Poor Daylight, too, was pretty